Beintehaan (Completed)

25. One Last time

(Request: Do read the Authour's note to know about the Challenge.)

“Are you ever going to trust me with that car?” Arjun asked as they jogged up the steps to Rithika’s flat.

“Not a chance” Priyanka panted. Arjun shook his head and grinned.

Walking up to the apartment he rapped the door twice. Pausing for a moment, he knocked again, both of them exchanging a worried look.

Arjun sighed, backing away, after knocking for the third time. “ I don’t think she is going to open the door.” He said.

“But we've got to talk her” Priyanka said, pushing up her glasses. At this point she was the only one who could give them answers.

As Arjun paced in front of the door. Priyanka stood in front of the door. She leaned in, pressing her ear to the door. She listened keenly, to catch at least a sound of anybody living.

“Arjun, open the door” she said suddenly.

Arjun stopped in mid- pace “Am sorry what?”

“We have to open this door Arjun, now!”

“What’s gotten into you?" he asked. Priyanka shook her head, something was wrong, she could feel it, call it her sixth sense or whatever. But she always had a feeling when things would go downhill and presently that feeling was literally ringing sirens.

She moved, tugging the windows on either side of door, all of them were firmly locked.

Suddenly she heard a soft click, her head shot up to see Arjun crouched in front of the key hole. He got up and softly twisted the knob, the door opening easily.

Priyanka stared at him “Wait- how did you-"

“Do you really want to stand here and ask how I broke the lock or do you want to get down to business?” he interrupted. “And if we get booked for trespassing, am blaming you” he added, slipping inside.

Priyanka scurried after him. She stepped inside and stopped. The apartment was a strong contrast to the outside world. She blinked several times letting her eyes adjust to the darkness.

She looked around, it didn’t look like anyone has been living there for a while. A narrow hallway stretched before them. Priyanka walked softly, trying to muffle her footsteps. Before her Arjun was walking normally, but his steps didn’t as much as create a whisper of sound.

A musty smell, hung heavily in the air. Flaking speckles of paint lined the floor with dust. She looked up and suddenly saw Arjun ducking into a small room to the side. She continued towards the hallway.

It was hard to imagine someone living in a place like this. Despair hung in the air, like the stained curtains pulled across the windows making it hard for even the slimmest rays to pass through.

Up ahead old furniture scattered, as if it’s been a while since anyone had used them. The back of her neck prickled with sweat, and she pushed on, ignoring the chills running down her spine.

She noticed a small gleam coming from far end of the room and she walked towards it. The feeling in her stomach worsened, twisting her gut almost painfully.

That was when she saw it. She noticed to almost forcefully. A small balcony stood hidden from the rest of the house, tucked away into a corner. Dried, and rotten potted plants swung eerily in the soft breeze.

And right on the railing, with her back to her, stood Rithika Iyer.
Priyanka’s heart thundered, as she took in her black dress, whose folds wafted softly behind her as she balanced her self, barefoot on the railings. Her hair spiraled around her whilst she looked down.